Titch, We are normally 'Tarpers'...even if its for just a couple of nights....for most of the reasons you have already said plus a few.We recently stayed at Kenilworth just for one night and only had our Nylon tent....in the morning the 'Due' was so heavy everything that touched the walls was soaking wet, That would not ever happen if we had used our Tarp......then theres the night we did a stop over in Landsborough.....and never used the tarp....we had a massive storm during the night and branch's were flying every where.....we were so lucky one never landed on our heads...here again the tarps are really good at doing their jobs helping protect you & your tent.

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As a recent convert to the benefits of tarps (thanks Roscoe for all your advice), I would put up a tarp ...

... but not my huge one.

I'd definately look at slinging a small one just to cover the tent, or even one of those lighter gazebo jobbies. Of course the fact that as soon as I pack up my camping gear I magically transform into my secret superhero status as The Rainmaker may be a factor.

Kirri

If a man speaks in the middle of the forest and there is no woman around to hear him, is he still wrong?

When I used my little polyester tent, I used to put up a small tarp in front of the tent for some extra shade. Now I have the ct, and I have been putting up the big tarp mainly because I don't want to have to come home and put up my wet canvas ct in the front yard to dry out. Sure it takes more time and can be a pain in the a@s but so is putting away a wet canvas tent! Usually when I go away it is for at least 2 nights so it's not so much effort for a short period of time.

I tarp my CT everytime. We would rather spend 1 hour extra in set up time than have a wet camper to pack up, plus it gives us somewhere dry to sit, play cards, cook and eat. Several times we have set up and packed up in the rain, so easy doing it all under a tarp, yes you get wet setting up the tarp but much rather that than wet gear.

I never leave home to camp without a tarp.....ALWAYS tarp up for a static camp. Only time I have never tarped was on my outback trip last year and only in the outback, once close enough to the coast and overnight dews, tarped up again.